Does someone who personally causes the death of almost 400,000 people deserve respect?

Heh, just think of all the people He's condemned to eternal hellfire. But it's not like anyone goes around professing that He's a benevolent deity, oh... right they do.

Most societies have or have had, the death penalty.

People must earn the death penalty. They must do something that warrants that type of consequence whether it is in the bible or in your local court system.

So why don't you have a look at what the people did, those whom God wiped out. Then you'll sound a bit more sane than suggesting that God just went around randomly killing people for kicks and giggles.

EDIT: your ignorance is amazing. Little children carry the genetics AND the teachings of their parents. Do you know what those parents did in the bible AND what teachings they passed down to their children? These horrid, violent, cannibalistic, human sacrifice things the children were taught, were a part of , AND would have continued to perpetrate as they grew up and into aduthood. It is like a cancer, it has to be killed off entirely, not partially, or it will return again and again.

Actually READ the bible.

As for the firstborn Egyptians, this included ALL of the firstborn whether they were children or adults, even the firstborn of the animals. HOW many times did God tell the Pharoah to let the Hebrews go free before this happened? HOW many times?? How many warnings was he given?? Yet he refused. It is the Pharoah's fault, not God's. The Pharoah had the choice to make and he refused to end the slavery of the Hebrews. So you are pro-slavery then? And pro murder because you blame God instead of Pharoah who had the choice to prevent the deaths of the firstborn.

Really your arguments show that you have never actually read the bible whatsoever.

The Christians got Him beat. 11 million Jews from 1933 to 1945! This figure is from records obtained by the Russians in 1945 and released to the world about 1 year ago.

Did it occur to you that of all people born, the number that die is 100%. That would be billions.

God deserves respect because he gave each person the option to choose eternal life instead of death.

I don't know how you get the idea that God causes death. We choose to ignore the rules...and that leads to death...it was God that warned us, who is patient with us...giving us time to repent...and who calls us to an abundant life and fulfillment.

If he would not have done this you probably would not be here now God has reasons for everything. Believe it or not. One day us Christians are going to be killed for believing in God but you don't see us complaining.

This group of boys was from Bethel, the religious center of idolatry in the Northern Kingdom, and they probably were warning Elisha not to speak against their immorality as Elijah had done. They were not merely teasing Elisha about his Baldness, but showing severe disrespect for Elisha's message and God's power. They may also have mocked him because of their disbelief in the flaming chariot that had taken Elijah. When Elisha cursed them, he did not call the bears himself. God sent them as a judgment for their callous unbelief.

These young men made fun of God's messenger and paid for it with their lives. Making fun of religious leaders has been a popular sport through the ages. To take stand for God is to be different from the world and vulnerable to verbal abuse. When we are cynical and sarcastic toward religious leaders, we are in danger of mocking not just the person, but also the spiritual message. While we are not to condone the sin that some leaders commit, we need to pray for them, not laugh at them. True leaders, those who follow God, need to be heard with respect and encouraged in their ministry.

Hope this Helped God Bless

Fair enough. Other people who have gotten totally killhappy incl. Hitler, Pol Pot,Stalin, Muhammed and Jim Jones. World would be better off without them. You build a time machine, you give me a call.

I don't go much on the God of the Bible. Methinks it's just men's excuse for killing.

The words "to kill" mean with reason think about that and look it up. God needs no defense. The flood got rid of bad DNA to help us be saved.

Well the Egyptians thought that they were on the same level as god which didn't fly with him. So he took their first newborn yes.. This was to teach the egyptians a lesson on whos the boss..

Dude - The Bible is a piece of fiction. Hate to be the one to break it to you.

Now if you want a really depraved SOB (who's not a fictional character) - think Joseph Mengele or Pol Pot.